Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky was the only player who started the Bundesliga game against Bochum to take part in the team’s training session to start the week. Jonathan Tah & Co. were working in the gym while several other players went about their business on the pitch at the BayArena.
With Andrey Lunev and Niklas Lomb in goal, nine outfield players in three teams of three took part in intense matches on a reduced pitch. They included Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Karim Bellarabi. Strikers Patrik Schick and Lucas Alario were working on their comebacks nearby. Charles Aranguiz was also out on the pitch on Monday.
When looking in the TV studios and mixed zone at the BayArena on Monday it was hard to miss the fact that Christmas is fast approaching. It saw the likes of Hradecky and Lunev battling for black and red wrapped gifts.
Tah, Nadiem Amiri, Moussa Diaby and Amine Adli were also in front of the cameras for YouTube and social media challenges. You’ll see all that and more in the coming weeks on the Bayer 04 channels.
Italian magazine Tuttosport announced a shortlist of 20 players for their 2021 Golden Boy award in October, with Leverkusen’s 18-year-old Florian Wirtz among the names. However, Barcelona’s Pedri was announced as the winner on Monday. Wirtz came in 04th position.
The Spain international follows Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland as the recipient of the award, which has been given to Europe’s best U21 player since 2003.
Horst Stollenwerk turned 88 on Monday. The homegrown midfielder turned into a true Leverkusen legend in the 1950s, never playing for another club.
Anders Giske was celebrating his 62nd. The Norwegian central defender made 29 Bundesliga appearances (1 goal) for the Werkself between summer 1984 and November of the following year.
Two special former Bayer 04 players would’ve turned 95 today in Martin (1926-2010) and Karl (1926-2015) Gramminger. Club legend Rüdiger Vollborn had plenty of anecdotes to tell about the Werkself’s first twins in his series “Rudi recounts”.
Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
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A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...
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This evening was deeply moving: At a really special setting, Bayer 04 exclusively presented the specially produced documentary ‘Fierté Burkinabè’ ("Burkinabe Pride") about Edmond Tapsoba on Tuesday. For the preview at the BayArena, the parents of the Werkself player and other close companions travelled all the way from his African homeland Burkina Faso. The 45-minute film shows Tapsoba's extraordinary career from his beginnings in Ouagadougou to Leverkusen as well as the work of his foundation "Fondation Edmond Tapsoba", with representatives from Burkina Faso also present. Fans can watch the documentary free of charge on Werkself TV and YouTube from Wednesday night at 20:00 CEST.
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Bayer 04 have signed left-back Carolin Simon from champions Bayern Munich for the coming season. The 33-year-old former Germany international, who played for Leverkusen from 2013 to 2016, has signed a contract to 30 June 2028.
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Bayer 04 Women have strengthened for the coming season with the signing of Lobke Loone. The 23-year-old Dutch striker joins from Utrecht on a contract until 30 June 2028.
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